Alarm system



Dec. 4, 1945. A. N. MONTGOMERY 2,390,449

ALARM SYSTEM Filed June 29, 1942 PRIMARY SIGNAL DIVICES SELECTIVELY 0R SIMULTANEQUSLY OPERABLE PILOT LIGHTS ON AUTOMATIC ONLY l I I I l I l l l l l 3/ POWER SUPPLY To PRIMARY' SUPPLY FOR PILOT LIGHTSQSOLENOIDS SIGNAL DEVICES AND coomc DISC OPERATING MOTOR INVENTOR.

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Patented Dec. 4, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE ALARM SYSTEM Arvid N. Montgomery, Owensville, Ind.

Application June 29, 1942, Serial No. 448,941

6 Claims.

. i This invention relates to an alarm system for public buildings, schools, stores and the like, and more particularly, to an automatic electric control therefor adapted to simultaneously cut out ,the normal run of various routine of signals, such as any siren or horn circuits, and cut in preselected coded signals, such as may be employed as fire or air raid alarms, and the like.

The object of the invention is to provide a system having incorporated therein the usual signal devices as commonly used in schools, factories, stores and the like, and which is generally continuously and automatically operated at predetermined time intervals, and further including a coded alarm, which, when placed into operation, simultaneously cuts out the signaling system to selectively operate a series of coded alarms.

More particularly, by means of this system, in installations having a plurality of different circuits with widely separated signal devices, all of said signal circuits may be cut out, and a selected code alarm sent thereover to all signal devices as a unit.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawing and the following description and claims.

The drawing is a diagrammatic illustration of the signal and alarm system. v

There is herein illustrated for purposes of example an electrically-actuated signal and alarm system wherein there is employed a plurality of bells, horns, sirens or the like, indicated at In, utilized normally for paging or giving out signals. Such audible signal devices are each normally included in a plurality of individual electric circuits which may have a common source of current indicated at H and be selectively controlled by automatic contacting devices or hand switches, indicated at l2. The controlling switches l2 may be at any desired location, whereas the signal circuits and devices I of any desired number or character, may be distributed throughout the building or buildings. The signal circuits, including the aforesaid signal devices, source of current and control switches, include the common line l3 leading from the source of current to the respective signal devices, the line l4 leading from said source to the several control switches, and the individual circuit lines l5a, I51; and |5c leading through the spring biased normally closed switches Ilia, I61) and I60 to their respective signal devices l0. Said last mentioned switches may be either electrically or mechanically actuated.

In operating the alarm through all signals the control switches l2 are not closed and selected code-operated switches are placed in circuit. For

this purpose there is placed at a convenient loca tion a master alarm switch I! operating over contacts a, b and c. Said master switch is mechanically connected with a selector switch 3 similarly operating over corresponding contacts a, b and 0. Also, mechanically connected therewith there is a pilot switch I9 similarly operating over corresponding contacts a, b and 0. Obviously, as many additional contacts in each switch may be provided as necessary, and said several switches I8 and I9 may be embodied in a single manually operated selector switch structure.

For purposes of illustration there are three contacts herein shown, switch being moved to close the circuit through contact a for giving an alert signal, contact I; for analarm signal, and contact 0 for an all clear signal. In circuit with each of these contacts there is a series of motor driven coding disks indicated at 20a, 20b and 200. Said disks are of insulation and driven by an electric motor 2| through shaft 22. Said coding disks are formed to operate their respective contact arms 23a, 23b and 230 to make and break a circuit through contact 24a, 24b and 240, respectively, in accordance with the character of the alarm to be given.

Associated with each of the switches IBa, |6b and Hie-there are suitable electromagnetic relays indicated at 25 adapted when energized to break the circuit through the lines l5a, I51) and I50, and cause said switches Ilia, I61: and |6c to close the circuit through the contacts 26a, 26b and 260, respectively, whereby the line 21, common to the coding disc switches, will be placed in circuit with the signal devices l0 and the normally closed control switches will be cut out of said circuit. The line 21 includes in said circuits with the signal devices the coding disk circuits, through the contacts 24a, 24b and 240. The contact is made in accordance with the particular lobal character of each coding disk through their lobe actuated arms 23a, 23b and 230 which are connected in circuit by the lines 28a, 28b and 280 with the corresponding contacts of the selector switch I8. Connected with each of the contacts a, b and c of the pilot switch I9 there are pilot lamps 29a, 29b

and 290, said circuits including a line 30 leading" to a power source 3|, the other line 32 of said power source leading back to said pilot lamps through the switch l9 and the contacts a, b and c thereof. The motor 2| is in circuit with the power source 3| through the switch I! through any contact a, b or 0 thereof, as are also the relays, since they are each connected in parallel and with the motor 2|. i

In normal operation of the system, the control switches l2 operate through a. program clock or any other well known automatic type of contact device, push buttons, or the like, as employed in paging or normal working signals as commonly practiced. In normal operation, the switches l6a,

which will start driving all of the coding disks 20a, 20b and 200. At the same time it will mechanically move the selector switch l8 to contact a and thereby condition the circuit for op-v eration through the coding disk 211a,. Also,

through the contact Ila, the circuit will be closed not only through the motor 2| but through each of the relays 25. Upon said relays being energized, the circuit will be broken through-the normal signal system or lines i511, I51) and 1-50, by reason of the switches I'Ba, [6b and IE being moved to engagement with contacts 26a, 26b and 260.

Thus, upon throwing the switch H 't'ocontact "a, the signalling system will be thrown out of normal circuit and the system will be placed in condition for operation through the-special coding disk 20a. Said coding disk is so formed as to intermittently or otherwise close the alternate circuit to the signalling devices It) from source H, by branch 41] and through selectorswitch- I8, line 28a, and the arm 23a according to the prearranged alert alarm. Said signalling'devices will thereupon give such alarm until switch ll is again operated. Also, upon operation of the alarm switch ll, through its mechanical connection with the pilot switch I9, the pilot lamp circuit will be closed through contact a so that pilot lamp 2911 will be lighted to show that this particular or alert alarm is then being given.

If'the alarm switch i7 is returned to inoperativ-e or open circuit position, all circuits through the relays 25, motor 21, coding disc operable switches and pilot lights 29a, 29b and 291: will be disconnected and the normal signalling circuit initially described will again be" placed in operation.

If a different and additional signal, suchas an alarm, all clear, is to be given, switch 11 is manually moved to the corresponding contact which is indicated at b or c. At contact b-t'h'e motor 2| and relays 25 will similarly be "actuated to disconnect the normal signal system and only the coding disk 2% will be placed in operation as would b indicated by operating the pilot lamp 29?). Similarly, if the switch H were moved to contact 0, the alarm would be given only in-a-crcordan'ce with the coding disk Hie-operation as would be indicated by the pilot lamp 290.

Whereas there is illustrated herein a single signal device 10 for each of the individual circuits l a, lib and 1 5C, it should be recognized 7 that in practice each of said individualinitial or primarycircuits ordinarily may carry one -or more "'of'said signal devices.

in a single circuit for rendering said single cira coding disc, a disc driving motor in said con-' trol circuit and controlled by the master switch thereof, and an electric energy supply for actuating said first mentioned means to open the biased switches when the said master switch is closed, the latter connecting the alarm circuit to all of said signal devices whereby the latter will be controlled and operated as a unit, and only through said coding disc actuated switch.

2. A signal and alarm system as defined by claim 1' wherein there is provided at least one I additional alarm circuit and in parallel with the alternative alarm circuit, each additional circuit including a coding disc, all discs being motor operable, each alarm circuit including another switch, said last mentioned switchesbeing selectively operablewith the master switch for selectively conditioning for operation one of the alarm circuits. V 3; An alarm system including an electric signal device, an alarm circuit for said signal device comprising a normally open switch in said alarm circuit, and a normally open, coding disc operated, switch also in said alarm circuit, a coding disc operably associated with said coding disc switch for closing sam and permitting opening of the disc operable switch, a motor for'driving said disc to determine the periodicity of-the signal actuation, a primary circuit for the motor, a manually operable master switchin the primary circuit, electrically actuated ineansforclosingthe first mentioned switch, an electric circuit for said means and in shunt with the primary circuit and controlled by said master switch, and another switch in series with the coding discswitchand simultaneously movable with the master switch.

4. An alarm system, as defined by claim 3, wherein there is provided an alternative control circuit to the device and including a 'manuaily operable normally open switch, and a- Contact juxtapositioned to and normally contacted by the first mentioned normally open switch, said last mentioned control circuit being in shunt'wit'h' the coding disc operable switch includingcircuit.-

5. Ah alarm system as defined by claim 3 wherein there is provided asecond signal device, a circuit therefor, a switch therein controlling same, said second device circuit being in multiple with the motor primary circuit but independent of master switch electrical control; and means operable in the master switch manualoperation for second signal device switch operation.

6. An alarm system as defined by claim 3 wherein there is provided an alternative control circuit to the device and including amanually operable normally open switch and' a contact j uxta-positioned to and normally contacted by the first mentioned normally openswitch, said last mentioned control circuit being in; shunt with the coding disc operable switch including circuit, a second signal device, a circuit therefor, a switch therein controlling same, said second device circuit being in multiple with the motor primary circuit but independent "(if master switch electrical control, and means operable inythe master switchmanual' operation for second signal device switch operation. V

ARVID N. 

